Fred Claus

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

In the smart and hysterically funny Wedding Crashers, Vince Vaughn had his biggest movie smash ever. So now, with visions of sugarplums (and more cash) dancing in his head, he has reteamed with that film's director to play the screw-up, slacker little 'bro of Santa's (Paul Giamatti) in this ho-ho-hum yuletide comedy. If you think you just can't resist a movie that actually has the balls to cast Ludacris as an angry elf, think again. This holiday package is infected with a mean and lazy spirit, trying to shoehorn Vaughn's fast-talking-wise-guy brand into a warm and fuzzy Christmas confection that seems like it has been focus-grouped to smithereens. Here's the plot: It's cutback time at the North Pole, and a corporate suit (Kevin Spacey) is threatening to sack 'ol St. Nick (along with the underperforming Easter Bunny) if he doesn't get his act together. Can the perpetually blitzed, partying Fred fight off midget ninjas long enough to redeem himself and save his famous sibling's ass before daylight on December 25? Who cares? There is one—only one—funny scene involving a kind of 12-step group Fred enrolls in that deals with the problems of having a famous brother. But alas, it's too little too late for this not-so-merry misfire.